Fatherhood and other Nightmares
by Happy-in-a-poncho
Summary: Gene is faced with some surprising news about Alex, and has to make a huge desicion. A2A, Galex, so fluffy you might drown in a marshmallow
1. Chapter 1

"_Gene: I'm pregnant. I know you probably won't want anything to do with me or the kid, but I'm keeping it. I'll apply for a transfer if you want, but I thought I'd check just to see- see what you want."_

Gene Hunt stared out of the large window that took up most of the wall of his small flat, Alex's words still ringing in his ears. He couldn't believe it; hadn't known how to react. Should he have dropped on one knee, begged her to marry him? Somehow the idea of sharing the rest of his days with Bolly didn't seem as repulsive as he had expected. Of course, she could be infuriating, but that was part of her charm, her magnificent, beautiful charm that was only added to by her wit and independence. Even the nickname, at first an insult, had evolved into a term of endearment. He glanced over at her sleeping form on the sofa, and was struck for the millionth time that night how much more beautiful she was without her carefully applied make-up, just a simple grey t-shirt, slightly baggier jeans and trainers, her permed hair carelessly swept up into a messy ponytail.

"Bolls," He muttered, a rare smile gracing his lips. "My Bolls."

"M' not _your _Bolls." came the muffled protest, . "M' not _anyone's _Bolls."

"'Course you're not, Bolly." Gene grinned quietly. God, even when she was asleep this woman could argue!

And then there was the question of the baby. Gene hoped he could be a better Dad this time round, although he doubted it. His own voice from 4 years ago floated back to haunt him: _"Look, Sophie, some people just aren't cut out to be dads, OK? I'm one of them." _and then Sophie's simple, yet heart-breaking reply- "_Yeah, I know.". _He hadn't seen her since that night. She'd be 17 now, if she'd survived on the streets. Gene hoped she was alright, because, despite both of their mistakes, she was his daughter and he loved her.

"Now, I'm gonna get someone else to screw up, Soph'." he muttered into his glass of wine. "How 'bout that?" He drained the remaining alcohol in one gulp, then poured himself another glass. How was he going to cope? He was rapidly approaching 50, would he be able to put up with changing nappies, night feeds, and teething? He highly doubted it. And yet… one look at Alex, who, fast asleep looked like an angel, he knew that together they could face anything. He turned from the London skyline, the stars glittering, as though they approved of his decision.

"Alex?" He said softly "I've made up my mind."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I wasn****'****t going to do a second part, but someone asked and, well I wanted to do one anyway, I just wasn****'****t sure it****'****d be appreciated. So, dedicated to theHuntgoeson** **and** **RachRadical**, **here****'****s the second chapter of ****'****Fatherhood and other nightmares****'****.**

Alex yawned and rested one hand on her huge, round belly. She was sure she hadn't been this big with Molly, but then again, that was a long time ago. At the thought of her daughter she still had to fight back tears, but she missed her a little less as every day in 'Gene's world' passed. Molly would be safe with Evan, and soon Alex would had someone else who needed her as much, if not more than her little girl.

"You OK in there, Sweetie?" she muttered, gently rubbing the bump. "Can't wait to see you!"

"Talking to yourself? First sign of madness, 'lex." Gene stuck his head around the door of their front room.

"Oh, shut it. Just 'cause I'm pregnant does _not_ mean I can't thump you." He gave her a small smile, something he'd done more in these past few months than the entire two years she'd known him, and , with a small wiggle of his fingers, he made to leave for work. But, before he was out of the door… "God, I'm so BORED! I've barely been out of my pyjamas for a month. A _month, _Gene! A bloody _MONTH! _It's driving me insane!" With a dejected sigh, he turned around and walked towards the source of the shouting, something else he'd been doing more of in the past few months.

"Do something constructive, then"

"Any suggestions?" Gene's face was blank for a minute, then he shrugged.

"I dunno, knit some booties or something."

"Booties? BOOTIES? _BOOTIES_?!"

"I'Was only a suggestion."

"Shall I tell you where you can shove your _Booties_?"

"I suppose you're going to tell me whether I want you to or not." That comment was quickly answered with a string of expletives, some of which not even Gene knew.

"OK, fine, I'm sensing a reluctance to knit." Despite herself, Alex gave a small laugh, although she would later insist it was only hysteria brought about by all the shouting. Gene would, of course, later point out that it had been her _doing _all the shouting, but she would just tell him to shut up.

"Gene, I'm being serious!" she whined, like a little girl who wanted the last cookie. "If you leave me on my own I'll go out of my _mind_"

"Well, with your 'psychiatry' you should be able to get back in."

"_It__'__s PHYC_… oh, forget it." He grinned, obviously enjoying winding her up. She swiped at his arm.

"Look, Gene, don't know if you know this yet, but never, _ever_, annoy a seven month pregnant woman."

"Eight."

"What did I just say?" And then she did a double take. "Hold on… what did _you _just say?"

"You're _eight_ months gone. Look." He pointed at the makeshift calendar that heavily resembled Alex's first one. "_That _is where we are now. And _that_" he pointed to a date on the next month "is your due date."

"We're in _September_? Now? It's September, _now_, right now _this second_? Are you-you're joking aren't you?!"

"Nope."

"Bloody…"

"Sorry."

"_September_?"

"Can you stop saying that?"

"Sorry. But- _SEPTEMBER_?!"

"Yes!" Gene laughed. "Has it come as a bit of a shock?"

"Oh, no _this_ is the face of a person in the know." Gene grinned, and held out his arm for her. She cuddled up to him, her head lolling on his chest in a strange mirroring of the Edgehamptom vault. He could feel her lips move as she whispered:

"Gene?"

"Yeah?" He asked, with a surprising tenderness.

"I'm scared."

"I know you are." there was a pause, and then he muttered "Do you want to know a secret?" Alex looked up and blinked, her hazel eyes meeting his blue ones. "So am I."


	3. Chapter 3

Gene wasn't sure just how such a "joyous" occasion could be accompanied by so much screaming. Or swearing. Or blood. It was his first time at a birth, Sarah had insisted that he stayed outside for Sophie's and Georgia's. Yet another difference between his ex and Alex: when he had suggested standing outside this time, the look Alex gave him had a very clear meaning. So, here he was, with his hand about to be squeezed off, putting up with all manner of abuse- and loving every second of it.

"C'mon, one more push now, darlin', there's a good girl." Smiled the overly cheery nurse at the foot of the bed. What right had she to be so bloody cheerful? Especially at 3 in the morning. But, Alex obeyed, and suddenly a second crying sound filled the room.

"Congratulations, you have a little baby girl!"

_Half an hour later._

She's beautiful."

"I know."

"Absolutely perfect."

"Yeah." Tearing his eyes away from the perfect little bundle in his girlfriend's arms, Gene whispered:

"You did really well, Bolls. I'm really proud of you."

"You make it sound like I arrested someone!" The two of them smiled at each other.

"No, I mean it. Really well. She's…"

"Amazing? Wonderful? Brilliant? Is there one superlative you haven't used yet?" Gene gave the matter some thought and eventually shook his head.

"No- no I don't think there is." The three of them sat in comfortable silence for awhile, each lost in their own thoughts.

Gene reflected on the fact that he now had another daughter, and wondered whether or not he should ring Georgia and tell her she was a big sister. He also considered just how much the child looked like him: he knew all babies had blue eyes, but hers seemed special, like they were his. He did admit that at first he'd been reluctant to believe that the baby was his when Alex first told him the news, as much as she'd babbled on about dates and stuff Gene didn't understand, well, the way she'd behaved in her first few months in CID proved she'd had no trouble 'adjusting' as it were. But her eyes- her eyes would never change from the way they were at that moment-

"Perfect."

Alex also wondered about _her _other daughter. Evan would take care of Molly, but that didn't stop her worrying: any mother worries when separated from her offspring, and Alexandra Victoria Drake was no different. She hoped Molly'd be happy, and Alex would probably wonder what her little girl would look like as a woman until the day she died. Above all, she wished she could see Molly again, but by now she realised it wasn't possible, and was beginning to accept it.

And the baby? The baby prayed it would get a name soon, and wondered who those two strange people were hovering over her. But, obviously it mustn't have bothered her that much as a few moments after she'd dimly registered the strangers that she drifted off to sleep, accompanied by soft coos from her mother.

"She needs a name." Murmured Alex, shifting the baby's weight to her other arm.

"Well, this… this is going to sound stupid, but…"

"Go on, Gene."

"Could we call her Samantha?" Alex smiled at the DCI she'd fallen in love with, and gently stroked their child's forehead.

"It suits her." she said in an almost whisper.

"Samantha Rose Hunt?"

"Samantha Rose Hunt."


End file.
